Battle of the Port of Alexandria (( Sea Zone 98 ))
Reverse Taranto
The goal is to preserve the Regia Marina, the Italian Royal Navy, in Taranto; preserving those heavy capital ships for Italy, which can not easily replace them. This may not be sound strategy. This may never be played in any scenario. But I am looking for pros and cons� and if it were plausible just how to make it happen. Any impute will be appreciated.
As Germany, How can I make this an effective strike while also targeting the British Royal Navy in other key locations? I recognize that most may consider the loss of the Italian navy as expected and given. My objective is to dissuade a Taranto raid so that those vessels can be used to prevent a Spanish beach head and guard the Straight of Gibraltar.
This is what I was thinking of:
I was thinking the two strategic bombers , and two or three tactical bombers from Germany may do some damage to that fleet. I would lose the tactical bombers in the sea on this kamikaze raid. But they may be more easily replaced then the Italian navy. But would these be enough against 1 battleship, 1 tactical bomber, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, and 1 transport?
Thanks for your advice!
It can’t be done. It is 4 spaces to sea zone 98 from Western Germany where there is an air base. You would need 2 more spaces to reach a safe landing zone in Tobruk. That’s one more space than your tactical bombers can fly and as such it is an illegal move since Kamikaze attacks are not allowed in the game. You can’t fly somewhere without being able to have a safe landing zone from where you take off. If you were to develop long range aircraft before your turn began you would be able to attempt it but I think you would be spreading your planes too thin and you might not end up taking enough boats off from the U.K. and the Med to make it worthwhile.
You are correct. No way for Germany to get to that UK fleet in 98. Visited a friend and he and I set it up on his version of triple A. I thought that there was an air base in German Prussia, but there is not. Well that scratches that strategy! lol TY though.
You may want to review some of the recent posts on the topic of NOT doing Taranto. Keeping the UK fighters together makes sea lion harder and an early US invasion easier. Still like doing Taranto because without it Italy has too many options.
I know you are looking for oob, but the last time I played we changed the Med set-up. This is based on the fact that I hate the way that the UK can lose every BB on the map before her first turn (both sides), and how Italy gets smoked in the first round as well. Also considered is that the allies are getting 20+ IPC bids.
The way things are oob, If the UK doesn’t hit the Italian fleet, then they need to either waste ships blocking out the Italians so they can’t hit the Alex fleet (sz98), or vacate the MED all together (which is something that would never have happen). So I wanted the Italians to get a pass on the first turn, but wanted the UK to have enough ships (def strength) to stay in the Med and withstand a hit from the Italians on Ita1 if UK decides to stay in the Med.
Re-set:
Italy, I moved the Italian cruiser from sz97 to sz 99, I then gave the Italians a dd in sz 97.
UK, I gave them a dd in sz92, and a BB and SS in sz 98.
The DD’s off set, so the UK is getting 26 IPCs in units (BB and SS).
This set-up blocks the UK from hitting the Italian sz97 fleet unless they want even odds using the new sz98 SS (which can slide past the cruiser in sz99) and just about all their air power (something that probably won’t happen). I only played it once, but the UK and Italy exchange some blocks and played some cat & mouse. I think that the axis ended up attacking the UK sz98 fleet in the 3rd turn, but Italy lost its Med fleet attacking it, and it cost the Germans a couple planes too (UK had built an AB for Egypt). All in all it seemed to make the Med pretty interesting (different), but again it was only one game.
One thing the Germans can do is hit the UK Cruiser in SZ91 which I used to do but stopped because those two subs are better used hitting SZ110 and therefore preserving more of the Luftwaffe.
Taranto is a pretty much all or nothing option for the UK but assuming it happens and succeeds the UK fleet is generally toast anyway. Is it really worth going to much length to stop?
